Consultation on Proposals for Long-Term Capital Investment in Science & Research
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Creating the Future: A 2020 Vision for Science and Research - Consultation on Proposals for Long-Term Capital Investment in Science & Research Submission from the Russell Group 1. Summary • The UK’s position as a world-leader in research, and the benefits that flow from this for the economy and society, will only be maintained if our research- intensive universities have the facilities and equipment needed to compete internationally. • The commitment to increase funding for capital investment and maintain this at around £1.1 billion per year in real terms to 2020-21 is very welcome. • We recommend that the majority of funding be allocated at the institution and research project level as opposed to large-scale projects, and that funding allocated directly to institutions is at least equal to that allocated to research projects through the Research Councils. (Scenario 1 in the consultation document.) • Capital investment for science and research should be allocated to research- intensive universities and their institutes where there is a critical mass of research excellence. Extending capital investment to research and technology organisations and independent research organisations runs the risk of duplicating existing facilities and equipment rather than building on the UK’s research strengths within our universities’ centres of excellence. • The provision of capital funding directly to HEIs by a formula mechanism is extremely valuable as it provides the autonomy and certainty to invest in areas of scientific opportunity identified by our world-leading researchers. The formula approach is also highly efficient as a funding mechanism, compared to costly and time consuming bidding processes. • A clear commitment from the Government is needed to support the on-going resource costs associated with operating, maintaining and up-grading capital facilities. A resource element separate from project resource should be tied to capital investment to ensure facilities and equipment can operate to full capacity, and to enable vital upgrades and maintenance to ensure the continued competitiveness of facilities in the long-term. • We welcome the intention to formulate a strategy in relation to the UK’s priorities for investment in major national and international projects. In order to choose between priorities identified in the initial round, we recommend further in-depth consultation with key academic research leaders to make a final recommendation on large-scale project funding to Government. The Russell Group of Universities www.russellgroup.ac.uk • A proportion of the capital funding budget should remain ring fenced for the future to ensure flexibility to invest in strategic priorities which may not become apparent for years to come. At such time as the Government wishes to allocate the remainder, we strongly recommend that a full consultation be undertaken with the research community to identify strategic priorities for investment. • The Research Partnership Investment Fund (RPIF) for capital co-investment in university research facilities has been very successful in leveraging funding for capital investment and we would recommend that this be turned into a longer- term, more strategic initiative for the future. • The majority of research undertaken in the UK relies upon access to small- and medium-scale research infrastructure, much of which is located within leading research-intensive universities. Provision for infrastructure on this scale must be at the heart of the Government’s capital investment strategy including through RPIF and as part of Research Council grants. • Russell Group universities remain committed to increasing productivity and driving efficiency through collaboration with other UK universities and industry through research partnerships to share key scientific facilities and equipment. We urge Government to consider how VAT legislation and guidance can be simplified to avoid hindering collaboration between universities in equipment sharing and other similar activities. 2. Introduction 2.1 The purpose of The Russell Group is to provide strategic direction, policy development and communications for 24 major research-intensive universities in the UK; we aim to ensure that policy development in a wide range of issues relating to higher education is underpinned by a robust evidence base and a commitment to civic responsibility, improving life chances, raising aspirations and contributing to economic prosperity and innovation. 2.2 We welcome this opportunity to contribute to the Government’s consultation on proposals for long-term capital investment in science and research, which we understand will feed into the Government’s wider Science and Innovation Strategy. The UK’s research community, and especially research-intensive universities, are best placed to identify strategic priorities for science and innovation. Russell Group universities undertake the majority of the very best world-leading research carried out in the UK and are highly effective and successful in the commercial exploitation of their research, forming strategic relationships with a range of businesses, international partners and third sector institutions. 2.3 In 2012-13, Russell Group universities accounted for: • 74% (over £3.5 billion) of UK universities’ research grant and contract income • 75% (over £1.1 billion) of total income from the Research Councils • 76% (over £0.8 billion) of funding for contract research with businesses • 82% (over £0.8 billion) of funding for research from UK charities • 77% (over £0.2 billion) of total income from international (non-EU) research grants and contracts1 1 Higher Education Statistics Agency (HESA) data 2012-13 2 3. The case for capital investment into research and science 3.1 The UK’s universities lead the world in producing excellent research: • Whilst the UK represents 4% of researchers globally, we produce 16% of the world's most highly-cited articles and rank first in the world by field-weighted citation impact.2 3.2 The UK’s world-leading position is founded upon a critical mass of research excellence, particularly within our research-intensive universities. Russell Group universities produce an extremely high level of world-leading research - at least two thirds of world-leading research originating from all UK universities.3 3.3 Long-term curiosity-driven research undertaken at our universities often delivers significant economic and societal benefits; it endows businesses with competitive advantage, brings new consumer products to market, creates numerous job opportunities, as well as providing better health care, cleaner and more efficient energy sources, improvements to ‘quality of life’ and much wider cultural benefits. Numerous examples of this can be found in our publications on the significant economic and social impacts of research conducted at Russell Group universities.4 3.4 The maintenance of the highest standards of equipment and facilities at our leading universities helps to sustain our world-class research environment, attracting highly sought-after internationally-mobile researchers as well as high levels of international R&D investment: • The proportion of non-UK nationality academic staff is around 34% at Russell Group universities compared to an average of 20% for other UK HEIs.5 • The UK’s world-class universities are vital to attracting high levels of foreign R&D: between 2000 and 2011, the most consistent growth in overseas- financed R&D has been in the HE sector, with an average annual increase of nearly 9% over the period.6 • Nearly 20% of gross expenditure on R&D conducted in the UK is now financed from abroad (compared to around 4% in Germany and the US) reflecting the quality of the UK science base in being able to attract inward investment7. 3.5 R&D-intensive businesses place high importance on access to state-of-the-art research facilities and equipment in deciding to undertake collaborative research with a university, use university facilities for contract research, or co-locate business operations. For example, pharmaceutical firms are found to locate their R&D near to world-class rated chemistry departments in UK universities, with the location decision 2 ‘International Comparative Performance of the UK Research Base – 2013: A report prepared by Elsevier for BIS’ 3 Research Assessment Exercise 2008 (for the 24 universities that are now Russell Group members) 4 See: http://www.russellgroup.ac.uk/uploads/RG_ImpactOfResearch2.pdf and http://russellgroup.org/SocialImpactOfResearch.pdf 5 HESA, 2012-13 6 BIS, ‘Innovation Report 2014: Innovation, Research And Growth’ 7 OECD Main Science and Technology Indicators, 2013 (GERD financed from abroad) 3 also related to the presence of science parks.8 In doing so, they are able to tap into the university’s ecosystem, including access to leading-edge academic and industry networks, cutting-edge equipment and facilities, scientific talent and valuable partnering opportunities. 3.6 Access to publicly funded scientific infrastructure is particularly beneficial to SMEs otherwise unable to fund capital investment in the latest equipment.9 Russell Group universities offer SMEs access to new equipment and facilities, and provide training in new technologies in fields such as additive manufacturing. 3.7 Crucial national research infrastructure is located at many Russell Group universities alongside small- and medium-scale research infrastructure which is vital to attracting leading researchers and businesses. Much of the cutting-edge research